Fauci: No US Corona Vaccine for January

A corona vaccine is not available in the United States before January, says leading American immunologist Anthony Fauci.

Although clinical trials for two vaccines are in advanced stages, an accelerated approval process by drug watchdog FDA is not expected before January, Fauci said Wednesday. “It could be January, it could be later, we don’t know,” said the director of the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

According to Fauci, the clinical trials of the pharmaceuticals Moderna and Pfizer are the most advanced. For expedited FDA approval, the manufacturers’ trial data must demonstrate that the vaccines are both safe and “persistently effective,” Fauci said.

It is not the first time that a statement by Fauci goes against a promise by President Donald Trump. He has repeatedly said that there will be a corona vaccine before the end of the year. Critics blame Trump for making vaccine promises in the hope that they will help him win the presidential election.

In addition to being the director of NIAID, Fauci is also a member of the corona working group that advises President Trump. He is known as an honest and independent expert, who in his scientific capacity is not afraid to contradict Trump.

Worldwide trials are being carried out with several experimental vaccines. An emergency permit from the FDA does not mean regular approval, for which the bar is considerably higher. With the first permit, however, a start can be made with the vaccination of risk groups and medical personnel.